Gauntlet of Spiragos (6244886)

7/23/2019 Gauntlet of Spiragos (6244886)

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An introductory adventure for the Scarred Lands


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Original Design:Rich Thomas

Developer:Scott Holden

Contributor:Matt Franklin

Art Director:Rich Thomas

Typesetting and Design:Mike Chaney

Cover:Rich Thomas

Interior Art: James Denton, Brian Leblanc, Todd Secord,

Rich Thomas, John Wilson

Cartography:John Wilson

Gauntlet of Spiragosis 2014 Onyx Path and Nocturnal Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reference to other copyrighted

material in no way constitutes a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material. Scarred Lands, Onyx Path,

Nocturnal Publishing, and their associated logos are trademarks of Onyx Path and Nocturnal Publishing.

Compatibility with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Inc. See

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG for more information on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Inc. does not guarantee

compatibility, and does not endorse this product.

Pathfinder is a registered trademark of Paizo Inc., and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Pathfinder Roleplaying

Game Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Inc., and are used under the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility

License. See http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/compatibility for more information on the compatibility license.

Open Gaming Content: The Open Content in this issue includes the new monsters, new magic items, and all material in

the appendix. All other material is Product Identity, especially place names, character names, locations, story elements, and

fiction. No other portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission.

www.theonyxpath.com

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Gauntlet of Spiragos


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Introduction 4

Synopsis 4

Background 5Preparation 5Involving the PCs 5

Creagfort 5

New Settlement Quality 6Getting Started:Mysterious Map 6

Map? What Map? 6What Do the PCsAlready Know? 8

General Knowledge 8From the Map 9

Chapter One:

Toward the Devils March 10Encounter #1:The Charming Songstress 10

Combat 12Encounter #2: Knives in the Dark 13

Combat 13Encounter #3: Ravenous Hounds 13

The Devils March 15

A Potential Foe 17

Combat 18

Chapter Two:The Chasm of Flies 19

Vertical Adventuring 20

What Did That Thing Say? 20Optional Encounter:Spider-Eye Goblin Scout 21

Combat 21The Upper Chasm 23

Climbing Down 23Spiragoss Remains 23

The Columns 24Encounter #1:Agitated Chasm Spiders 25

Restless Dead 25

Combat 26Encounter #2:Spider-Eye Goblin Defense 26The Iron Walls 26

The Fastness 27Guard Posts 28Getting Down 29

Chapter Three: The Iron Cavern 30

Goblin Defense 30

Great Goblin Mound 31Second Wave 32

Combat 32

Chapter Four: The Iron Tunnels 34Tunnel One: Goblin Barracks 34Tunnel Two: Warriors Quarters 35Tunnel Three: Goblin Shrine 35Tunnel Four: Spider Hatchery 37Tunnel Five: Matriarchs Maze 37

Champions Chamber 37Matriarchs Quarters 38

Combat 39Victory 39Give Them a Hand 40The Necromancer 41

Overstaying the Welcome 41Leaving the Chasm 42

Appendix 43

Spider-Eye Goblin 43

Spider-Eye Goblin Lore 43Behavior 44

Optional Rule: Variant Adepts 44


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Gauntlet of Spiragos is an adventure designed for 3rd-

level characters, although it can easily be modified

for characters of 1st to 5th level by increasing or decreasing

enemy hit points and perhaps also the number of enemies;

you might also increase or decrease the difficulty DC of the

skill-based and terrain-based challenges, or perhaps make

it difficult for the PCs to rest, thus imposing the effects of

fatigue or exhaustion on them. Assuming a moderate rate of

character advancement, a party of four 3rd-level characters

should reach 4th level by the end of this adventure.

Gauntlet of Spiragos may serve as a stand-alone adventure,

the starting place for a series of adventures, or as an anomalous

quest tucked between the chapters of an established campaign.

For more powerful PCs (those starting at 6th level or higher),

the GM will probably need to replace the spider-eye goblins

and spiders with more powerful creatures, such as narleths

and deadlier types of giant spider, as well as possibly adding

more foes and raising difficulty DCs of terrain challenges.

To assist in expanding the story, we have raised the possibility

of including a rogue necromancer who continually harasses

the party after a certain point in the adventure. At any point

where such an enemys involvement might not interrupt the

flow of the overall narrative, and could lead to some interesting

challenges, notes have been provided.

Synopsis

The characters obtain a treasure map with an eight-armed

symbol, strange writing, and the drawing of a chasm with

spiders and flies in it. As well, three unique items, actually

titanic artifacts, are illustrated upon it: a gauntlet, a ring, and

a dagger. Whether through their own research, or simply being

informed by a knowledgeable NPC, the players decipher the

meaning of the map and then travel through the wilderness to

the Devils March. The location indicated on the map is called

the Chasm of Flies, so named because, for several generations

after the Titanswar, huge clouds of enormous black, biting flies

swarmed in and out of the rift in the ground. Eventually, they

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attracted giant spiders, which grew fat feeding on the flies, and

the chasm became a place of webs and cocoons.

In the chasm, the PCs are confronted with physical and

terrain challengesledges, dangling strands of clinging

gossamer, cracks and crevices, with enormous webs at various

places blocking line of sight (and also stopping some falls)aswell as spider-eye goblins and various giant spiders. They must

find the tunnel which houses the tribal goblin matriarch,

along with the goblins treasure, where they must defeat the

ruler and her champion. While the players will never be able

to gain the gauntlet, which they eventuallydiscover houses

the entire complex, they can find the ring and the dagger

reduced to usable sizes, along with various treasures taken

by the goblins from raid victims and ill-fated adventurers.

Background

Powerful artifacts of the titans have been discovered by atribe of spider-eye goblins, who reside in a dangerous cavernous

lair called the Chasm of Flies. The Chasm is actually a crater

created when Spiragos, an eight-armed lesser titan known as the

Ambusher, fought and was slain by Vangal the Ravager; during

the battle, a lunge from Spiragos missed its mark, slamming its

hand into the earth nearly to the elbow. Vangal then hacked

that arm off so that the hand, forearm, and gauntlet were left

embedded in the terrain. As time went on, the titan flesh

rotted and attracted flies, which grew unnaturally large and

in turn attracted giant spiders.

Spiragos was wielding a dagger in the lost arm and also

bore a ring on one of the fingers. These powerful magic itemsgradually atrophied and constricted in the absence of the

titans powerful essence, and they have since been recovered

by the inhabitants of the chasm, a tribe of spider-eye goblins.

The gauntlet, still occupied by the skeletal remains of the

titan, has retained its enormity and remains in the hole as

the metal-walled fortress of the goblins.

The bones themselves, which were not consumed by the

ravenous monster flies, serve as primary structural supports

of the spider-eye goblins lair. In some places, they have been

hollowed out and used as passageways as well. The spider-eye

goblins and their giant spider mounts and allies patrol and

ambush invaders in the upper areas above the wrist. Below

the wrist lie the living quarters of the goblins.

Preparation

Text that appears in a shaded field should be read aloud

or paraphrased to the players as it occurs. The Game Master

needs a copy of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook

and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide to

use this adventure.

Unshaded text boxes or sidebars contain pertinent

information for the GM alone. Monster and NPC statistics

are provided with each encounter or, where appropriate (to

avoid repetition), the relevant stats from elsewhere in this

adventure may be referenced.

Involving the PCs

The adventure as written assumes that the PCs have somehow

come into possession of an old map, possibly from a previous

adventure or encounter or perhaps inherited by one of the

characters. See the section entitled Map? What Map? for

further suggestions on getting the map into the hands of the

players. The markings on the map bear investigation, which

prompts the adventure.

Creagfort

While not absolutely necessary, this adventure assumesthe PCs will set off from Creagfort, the northernmost

civilized settlement in the Bronze Hills of the northern

Fangsfall Peninsula, a few dozen miles south of the border

between the Hills and the Devils March. Hewn into the sloped

side of a tall crag, the fort comprises a small concentric keep,

with a stout curtain wall encircling the settlement, all built

around a lucrative copper mine. The approach from any side,

other than the winding road leading up to the forts main

gates, is a treacherous climb.

Creagfort is commanded by Lady Elyn Barathos, a cleric

of Corean knighted by Lord Killian Vrail. Her assignment

is to protect Fangsfalls interests in the copper mines of theregion and to patrol against titanspawn incursions. She is

served by a garrison of the Fangsfall Army, about 60 soldiers

(each a warrior 2-4), led by Captain Zedaias Black. The rest of

the fort is populated by support personnel for the soldiers

and by the miners and their families.

Given that Creagfort is somewhat removed from its

patron city, and does not lie along the coast, the rampant

overpopulation by refugees flooding Fangsfall is not so

keenly felt here. Further, the imposing landscape, constructed

fortifications, and army garrison deter neer-do-wells and

vagrants uninterested in honest labor. There is thus an

appreciable degree of civility in general, especially in and

around the central keep, where representatives of merchant

guilds and independent miners gravitate to oversee their own

regional interests.

Luxury, on the other hand, is rare in the extreme. Creagforts

primary reason for being is to serve as headquarters for a

brigade of the Fangsfall Army tasked with policing a broad,

rugged region. Beholden to Corean as the forces of Lord

Vrail already are, having a cleric of that deity commanding

INTRODUCTIO


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CREAGFORT

LN village

Corruption -1; Crime +1; Economy +2; Law +4; Lore +0;Society -2

Qualitiesdefensible*, fortifiedDanger+0

DEMOGRAPHICS

Governmentmilitary*

Population145 (112 human, 33 other)

NOTABLE NPCS

Fort CommanderLady Elyn Barathos (LG female humancleric 8)

Fangsfall Army CaptainZedaias Black (LN malehuman fighter 6)

Copper Mine ForemanGramdul Stoneheim (N maledwarf expert 6)

MARKETPLACE

Base Value1,000 gp; Purchase Limit5,000 gp;Spellcasting4th

Minor Items2d4; Medium Items1d4; Major Items

* See Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for thePathfinder RPG.

them has a noticeable effect on their bearing and behavior;

Corean is said to hold compassion as the greater virtue over

strict adherence to legal code, but any visitor who tarries too

far from the path of the Paladin Champion risks a none-too-

gentle nudge in a more desirable direction.

Player characters who seek to cause trouble or even actquestionably would be well served to arrange their arrival

under the banner of an individual or group with political

or business ties to the area. Alternately, PCs familiar with

Fangsfall history or who are devoted to Enkili may benefit

from frequent and earnest devotions to that unofficial deity

of the area. Finally, unsavory characters with no reason for

staying in Creagsfort or who are not aware of the religious

politics of the area are best advised to get in, keep their heads

down, and move along quickly. By contrast, characters of a

particularly noble mien may be welcomed to the area. Most

likely, though, they will simply be ignored and remain free

to conduct their own affairs.

If they have not found it previously, while they are in

Creagfort, the players should somehow acquire the map to

the Chasm of Flies, about 60 miles north-northeast of the

New Settlement QualityFortified: Whether as a result of geographic location orman-made defenses, this place is secure against armedintrusion.Economy +1;Law +1; Society +1; treat settlement as onesize larger for base value, purchase limit, and spellcasting.

fort via rocky, inhospitable terrain, where the Bronze Hills

fade into the sickly plains of the Devils March.

Getting Started:Mysterious Map

The players have come into possession of a torn and stained

parchment, upon which are scrawled a series of symbols

that seems to indicate the route to a cleft or chasm in the

Devils March. The symbols include an eight-armed rune,

strange writing, and the drawing of a chasm with spiders

and flies within it. Three magic items are also drawn on the

map: a gauntlet, a ring and a nasty looking dagger. Any of

the player characters can attempt skill checks to glean all six

items of information from the parchment.

Map? What Map?

How the PCs get hold of the map is entirely up to you.

Barring events tied to a larger story, it could be that the PCs

simply bought the map from a scholar or at an antiquitiesshop. It is also possible that they receive the map directly

from Lady Barathos or Captain Black as part of an official

request. As rugged and as broad the Bronze Hills are, the

Fangsfall Army might welcome help in clearing out errant

titanspawn threats.

Lady Barathos is a busy woman, and it may be more likely

that the Captain would handle business of this nature. If there

is some need for the PCs to be granted an audience with the

commander herself, consider the possibility that the spider-eye

goblins have been emboldened by raids on random caravans;

they have been making concerted guerilla attacks on mining

operations in the Bronze Hills looking for a suitable cavernto establish a second colony.

On the other hand, perhaps Fangsfall is dealing with an

increase in hostilities from Dunahnae to the north and cant

spare forces for such a relatively minor threat. For a bit of

additional intrigue, Lady Barathos might claim such a reason,

while in actuality she is dealing with political circumstances

that prevent her from officially dispatching soldiers under the

Fangsfall banner out beyond the borders of the Bronze Hills.

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PCs who come on business could instead be given the map by

Copper Mine foreman Gramdul Stoneheim as an afterthought

once said business has been conducted. After all, the map speaks

of a Chasm of Flies, which implies a deep hole in the earth,

and what dwarf wouldnt want to know whats down there? Of

course, the characters may need to finagle more informationout of Stoneheim than he means to share. Is he commissioning

freelance adventurers as a cover for Lady Barathos? Does he know

more about the nature of Spiragos treasures than hes letting

on? And if so, how did he come to possess such knowledge?

Alternately, the map could be discovered on the body of a

thiefs victim after the PCs interrupt a mugging just outside

the garrison walls (or on the body of said thief if the characters

manage to dispatch the wretch). Perhaps the map is slid under

their door as they sleep in the local inn, supplied by a mysterious

cabal whose secret wish is to have the artifacts of Spiragosreturned to the world. This set of circumstances could easily be

bundled with either of the official business scenarios above,

or wrapped into something else of the GMs devising.

Ultimately, the specific means

by which the player characters

come into possession of the map

should take the general behavior

of the party into consideration. In

short, the method of the maps

introduction is very flexible: It

can be part of world-buildingby the GM, or simply a one-off

adventure.

What Do thePCsAlready Know?

Characters trained in

Linguistics or in certain

types of Knowledge might also

have a chance of knowing some

bits and pieces of lore aboutSpiragos, the Devils March, and

the Chasm of Flies.

General Knowledge

Before starting the adventure,

wi th or wi thout the map,

characters who are trained in

the following skill(s) may make

checks to determine what, if

anything, they know about the

Fangsfall region and the Devils

March to the north.

A chara ct er re ce ives all

information from lower DCs

as well; i.e., if a character gets

a result of 17 on a Knowledge

(history) check, she learns all of

the information for both DC 10

and DC 15.

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Knowledge (History or Religion)

DC 10: During the Divine War that ended nearly two

centuries ago, the gods Tanil, Denev, and Corean captured

the titan Gaurak the Devourer and plucked his monstrous

teeth from his maw before entombing him. The titanic fangs

crashed down, some as large as mountains, across what is

now called the Fangsfall Peninsula; one of the jagged incisors

smashed into the ground near the tiny city of Lambport.

The people there took to quarrying the fine, hard minerals

of the titans tooth in order to build their houses and their

city wall. They dubbed their city Fangsfall in honor of the

gods defeat of Gaurak.

DC15:The Devils March was the site of a great battle in

the Divine War, in which the forces of the titanic Hag-Queen,

Mormo, and her Asaathi Empire fought against a great

human army. In desperation, the generals of the decimated

and embattled human forces performed a necromantic TrueRitual. All of the dead from both sides of the conflict rose

up, shattering the asaatthi armies and wounding Mormo

herself. The summoned undead were not all destroyed, and

some continue to roam the March to this day.

DC 20:While humans and asaatthi made up the bulk of

the opposing armies, many other races, including demons

and other infernal creatures, were also summoned en masse

particularly by asaatthi sorcerers. The land is thus now poisoned

by necromantic energies, titan blood, and demonic influence.

Knowledge (Geography or Nature)

DC 10:The Devils March is not inhabited by any of thedivine races. Twisted varieties of goblins and other titanspawn

dwell there, primarily. But the region is also known for many

undead creatures, and even, it is said, the devils and other

infernal beings that give it its name.

DC 15:The March is a blighted area that cannot support

life. Foraging for food and water there may prove very difficult

as a result. Travelers there should stock up well on provisions.

From the Map

A character who examines the mysterious map may make any

of the following checks if she is trained in the relevant skill(s).

Knowledge (Dungeoneering or History)

DC 10:The area indicated on the map is called the Chasm

of Flies because, for decades following the Titanswar, huge

clouds of black flies swarmed around the opening and into

the Chasm. As with most creatures corrupted by titan blood,

these flies grew to monstrosities, raven-sized and deadly.

DC 15:The name of the cavern has become something of a

misnomer, however, for the Chasm is now inhabited not by flies

but by all sorts of spiders, drawn to the flies as a food source.

DC 20:The Chasm was created during a fight to the death

between a lesser titan named Spiragos and the god Vangal the

Ravager. The two behemoths battled across the Devils Marchuntil, at last, Vangal was victorious in destroying Spiragos by

cutting off most of its eight arms.

Knowledge (Arcana or Religion)

DC 15:The eight armed symbol on the map is that of Spiragos,

the lesser titan of ambushes, one of the offspring of Kadum.

Spiragos attempted to ambush the warrior god Vangal, but was

slain by him in what later became known as the Devils March.

DC 20:Spiragos wielded multiple magic items wrested from

those it had ambushed. These included magical gauntlets,

rings, and weapons. The titans and gods are known to have

adjusted their body sizes to fit any given situation; the titans

generally favored enormity, but the possibility nonetheless

exists that even the enormous equipment of a titan might

shrink to accommodate a human or other smaller being.

Linguistics

DC 15:The writings are an odd, debased form of Primordial

runes that spell out, The Gauntlet of Spiragos and Found

in the Devils March.

INTRODUCTIO


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Although the length of the PCs journey can vary depending on their route

(particularly if the party sets out from somewhere other than Creagfort), it

is roughly 60 miles as the crow flies from Creagfort to the Chasm. Given the

rough terrain of the hills and the lack of roads and scarcity of even simple

game trails, the journey should take 5 to 7 days in total (assuming the

PCs dont get off track or entirely lost in the wilderness).

During the journey, the following optional encounters can take

place as indicated at the GMs discretion. Of course the GM should

feel free to introduce other encounters as necessary. Dont forget

that in the world of Scarn, and particularly on the continent ofGhelspadwhere the chaotic energies of the defeated titans still

warp the landbizarre weather effects and terrain challenges can

be as deadly as any creature encounter.

Encounter #1:The Charming Songstress

This encounter should take place 3-4 days before the PCs

reach the Devils March. As the PCs awake in the morning,

read the following to the character with the highest Charisma:

Out of the corner of your eye, you think you see movement in the brush.

You rub the sleep from your eyes and look again, briefly catching sight

of a lithe, naked form, probably female, running away through the

trees and behind a small fold in the landscape. Its behavior suggests

the figure was frightened by the presence of the party, but somehow you

get the feeling that it was intrigued by you as well.

The stranger quickly disappears in the shadows. Straining to see in the

darkness, you are not able to determine exactly where it is, but you feel

almost certain that you are once again being watched from a distance.

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DANANSHEE CR 2

XP600

NE Medium fey

Init+2; Senseslow-light vision; Perception +11DEFENSE

AC14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +1natural)

hp10 (3d6)

Fort+1, Ref+5, Will+6

OFFENSE

Spd30 ft.

Meleedagger +1 (1d4/19-20)

Special Attacksenthralling song, suggestion

Spell-like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +6)

Constantspeak with animals

3/daycharm animal (DC 14),magic fang

1/daysummon natures ally I, tree stride

TACTICS

Before CombatIf she expects combat and has time,the dananshee uses magic fangto buff her charmed orsummoned animal allies.

During CombatWhen she has successfully used hersuggestion ability on a creature, the dananshee usuallysends that victim to her lair, where she slays and devourshim with the aid of her animal companions. However, if she

is threatened by other creatures, she may instead direct thevictim to defend her.

STATISTICS

Str11, Dex15, Con10, Int14, Wis17, Cha16

BaseAtk+1; CMB+1; CMD14

FeatsAlertness, Dodge

SkillsAcrobatics +8, Bluff +9, Escape Artist +8,Knowledge (geography, nature) +8, Perception +11, SenseMotive +5, Stealth +8, Survival +9

LanguagesCommon, Sylvan

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Enthralling Song (Su)All creatures within 90 feet whohear a dananshees song must succeed at a DC 14 Willsave or be fascinated by her. Initiating this ability is a full-round action; the dananshee may maintain her song eachsubsequent round as a standard action. Creatures that fail

the initial save may remain fascinated for as long as thedananshee remains within 90 feet and continues to sing. Acreature that succeeds on the save against this effect cannotbe affected by that dananshees enthralling song for 24hours. This is a sonic, mind-affecting ability.

Suggestion (Su)As a swift action, the dananshee canmake a single suggestion (as the suggestionspell; Will DC15 negates) to any one creature she has already fascinatedwith her enthralling song. A creature that succeeds onthe save against this effect cannot be affected by thatdananshees suggestion for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.

If the character makes a DC 15 Knowledge (nature) check,

he recognizes the running form as that of a dryad. On a result

of 20 or higher, however, he also recalls that some dryads are

known for luring travelers to their deaths.

If the character makes a DC 20 Sense Motive check, he

realizes the running shape seemed to be trying to lure him

away from the party.

Assuming the PC seems ready to rejoin the party rather

than follow the running figure, the dananshee begins singing

in order to draw him toward her. Whether the PC follows

alone or gathers the rest of the party, read the following ifthey follow her trail:

The trees open up into a hollow in the hills; there the fleeing figure

waits, half crouched with her back to a thick tree. She appears

diminutive and vulnerable, but an evil intent is immediately

apparent in the grin she casts in your direction. Her hand, already

reaching down, ruffles what you mistook at first as a shadow. The

shadow bares its fangs, a black, shaggy-coated wolf, growling as it

pads forward. As the wolf launches itself toward you, you hear the

shriek of a hunting bird from above and behindthen the woman

steps backwards into the tree itself and disappears. A sound like

the laughter of tinkling glass disperses into the leaves.

Combat

The dananshee uses tree strideto teleport from tree to tree

and thus keep her distance from the PCs; as she does so, she

uses her suggestion ability on any PCs that appear physically

powerful. The wolf tries to flank other characters and pull

them down, while the falcon uses its slashing dive attacks to

harry lightly armored enemies.If both pets are slain, the dananshee tries to teleport away with

tree stride, if she still has any uses of that power left. Her interest

was a quick strike against a single target, not a fight to the death.

Encounter Level 4 (1,200 XP)

Dananshee (1): hp 8

Albadian wolf (1): hp 17

Scythe falcon (1): hp 9

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SCYTHE FALCON CR 1/2

XP200

N Tiny animal

Init+3; Senseslow-light vision; Perception +5DEFENSE

AC15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)

hp9 (2d8)


OFFENSE

Spd10 ft., fly 60 ft (average)

Meleewing slash +6 (1d6-1/18-20), 2 claws +1 (1d3-1)

Space2-1/2 ft.; Reach0 ft.

Special Attacksslashing dive, powerful charge (wingslash +8, 2d6-1/18-20)

STATISTICS



FeatsWeapon Finesse

SkillsFly +8, Perception +14; Racial Modifiers+8Perception

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Slashing Dive (Ex)When flying, the scythe falconcan take a move action after making a powerful chargeattack. It provokes attacks of opportunity from thismovement as normal.

ALBADIAN WOLF CR 1

XP400

N Medium animal

Init+3; Senseslow-light vision, scent; Perception +5DEFENSE

AC14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural)

hp18 (2d8+9)


DR5/slashing

OFFENSE

Spd50 ft.

Meleebite +3 (1d6+2 plus trip)

STATISTICS


BaseAtk+1; CMB+3; CMD15 (19 vs. trip)

FeatsToughness

SkillsPerception +5, Stealth +6, Survival +1 (+5 whentracking by scent); Racial Modifiers+4 Survival whentracking by scent

Treasure: Scattered among the roots of several trees are

skeletal remains of those unfortunates the dananshee has

succeeded in luring to their deaths. The PCs can discover

500 gp worth of equipment, trade goods, and/or loose coins,

depending on their needs and the GMs discretion.

Encounter #2:Knives in the Dark

This attack should take place during a moonlit night,

sometime before the PCs reach the Devils March.

During the dead of night, the player characters can make

a DC 25 Perception check; their assailant is supernaturally

stealthy. Anyone who fails this check is surprised.

Read the following:

A faint sound disturbs an already dreamless, uncomfortable sleep.

You awake with a start, trying to see what made the noise, but the

moons are hidden by dull, gray clouds. Out of the corner of your

eye, you think you see a dark form creeping among your fellow party

members, but when you turn to see, nothing is there. Nonetheless,

a faint sense of dread washes over you. Your drowsiness gives way

to alarm as you start to rise, fumbling for your equipment. As you

lurch to your feet, you hear the unmistakable sound of a blade

being drawn.

CombatThe belsamaug uses surprise and the shadows to strike and

retreat through the scrubland. It will neither surrender nor

retreat. If the PCs somehow manage to capture or incapacitate

it, they may learn that it does not want them to reach the

Devils Marchbut it gives away no more information than that.

Encounter Level 3 (800 XP)

Belsamaug (1): hp 18

Encounter #3:

Ravenous Hounds

This encounter should take place on the first day into the

Devils March. Read the following to the players shortly

after they leave the Bronze Hills:

While this area first looked like rocky plains with stretches of

verdant, healthy grass, the rank smell of decayed flesh calls for

immediate reconsideration. The grass is patchy, with large swaths

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BELSAMAUG CR 3

XP800

NE Small outsider (goblinoid, native)

Init+2; Sensesscent, see in darkness; Perception +7DEFENSE

AC17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1dodge, +1 size)

hp22 (4d10)


OFFENSE

Spd30 ft.

Meleedagger +7 (1d3/19-20)

Rangeddagger +7 (1d3)

Special Attackssneak attack +2d6

STATISTICS



FeatsDodge, Weapon Finesse

SkillsAcrobatics +6, Escape Artist +6, Knowledge(planes) +7, Perception +7, Stealth +15, Survival +7 (+15

tracking by scent); Racial Modifiers+2 Stealth, +8 Survivalwhen tracking by scent

LanguagesCommon, Goblin

SQinvisibility, meld into earth, recall daggers

Gearmwk studded leather, 10 daggers

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Invisibility (Su)A belsamaug is invisible, as the spellimproved invisibility, in all but one circumstance: Only inareas of dim light resulting from moonlight is it visible.

Meld into Earth (Su)With the sunrise, a belsamaug meldsinto whatever earth or stone it is standing on, leaving only a Tinybasalt stone to mark the place of its passing. When moonlightagain touches the stone, it vanishes and the belsamaug risesonce again to hunt. This power is automatic (it cannot be resistedby the belsamaug), and it takes 2 full rounds for the belsamaugto meld or to rise. During this time, the belsamaug is dazed. Thisability otherwise functions as the spell meld into stone.

Should a belsamaugs basalt stone ever be destroyed, thebelsamaug is killed instantly. The stone has AC 7, hardness 8,20 hp, and break DC 26.

Recall Daggers (Su)As a move action, a belsamaugcan recall any or all of its lost, thrown, or otherwise missingdaggers to their sheathes on its person. This ability functionsas the spell instant summons.

of blighted and unnatural growth, which does indeed belie your

initial impression.

You hear the baying of hounds in the distance.

As the PCs head deeper into the March, read the following:

The charnel reek continues to assault your nostrils and seems less

a product of recent corpses than a curse arising inherently from the

ancient mounds of the dead. Half-buried in the straggling grasses

and scrub bushes are the odd bits of rusted metals too deteriorated

to still be called weapons or armor, along with the occasional ivory

flash of long-dead bone.

You still hear the baying of hounds. Sometimes you think they grow

fainter, but on the whole, they have definitely moved closer to you.

The PCs begin to enter a rockier, more broken part of the

March. Ravines and gullies are part of the landscape in every

direction, and huge, tilted rock slabs periodically rise out of

the ground. Eventually, at some point, the PCs will find that

their path unavoidably must take them through a ravine, its

sheer cliff edges rising on either side but opening wider and

growing flatter as they progress.

4



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The Devils Marchsoil grossly poisoned with blood and an atmosphere swimming with evil spirits, Devils March supports littlelife in what, to all appearances, seems an hospitable, grassy plain. The March marked the front line for some ofthe largest battles of the Divine War. Regardless of the conditions of the plain, though, the peoples of Ghelspad

best be wary, for it seems the titanspawn population of this region grows bolder by the day.Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Ghelspad

Devils March is all but incapable of supporting life. From a safe distance, the plain appears grassy and healthy.However, everything down to the grasses [is] blighted. Nothing that is natural exists on the March; much of whatdoes is undead. It is not until travelers are less than a days journey away that the smell begins. Virtually nodivine races call the March home, although merchants from Fangsfall sometimes traverse the westernmost portionin order to shave off both time and shipping costs..

Scarred Lands Campaign Setting: Ghelspad

The region known as the Devils March is a blighted, inhospitable place. While the scope of this adventure doesnot extend into an exploration of the March beyond a quick journey a day or two in, the GM should stress the illreputation and the hostile nature of the March.

Plant life here tends to be sparse, coarse, and naturally defensive; thorns and toxins are common. Characterstrying to forage or hunt for food or find potable water on this journey will be sorely disappointed. (In game terms,all Survival checks made to find food or water here suffer a 10 penalty; the character can find food or waterfor one other person for every 3 points by which this check exceeds 20.) For the purpose of tracking, generallytreat all areas of the March as either firm or hard ground.

Following rain storms, flash floods are also a possibility, and travel near streams or between steep walls ofstone increases the relative danger. For more information on environmental considerations, see Weather inthe Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. While not required, we also recommend referring to ChapterOne: Badlands in Wilderness & Wasteland: Scarred Lands Encounters.

GHOUL HOUND CR 1

XP400

CE Medium undead

Init+2; Senseslow-light vision, darkvision 60 ft., scent;Perception +7

DEFENSE


hp14 (2d8+5)


Defensive Abilitieschannel resistance +2; Immuneundead traits

OFFENSE

Spd40 ft.

Meleebite +4 (1d6+3 plus disease and paralysis)

Special Attacksfrightful presence (howl, 60 ft., DC 12),paralysis (1d4 rds, DC 12, elves are immune)

STATISTICS

Str17, Dex15, Con, Int6, Wis14, Cha12


FeatsToughness

SkillsAcrobatics +3 (+11 jumping), Perception +7, Stealth+6, Survival +2 (+6 tracking by scent); Racial Modifiers+4 Acrobatics when jumping, +4 Survival when trackingby scent

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Disease (Su)A humanoid or a canine animal that dies ofghoul fever rises as a ghoul or a ghoul hound, respectively,

at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul inthis way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. Itis not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungersfor the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoulin all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises asa ghast.

Ghoul Fever:Biteinjury; saveFort DC 12; onset1 day;frequency1/day; effect1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex damage;cure2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based.



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A Potential FoeThe half-elf warrior slain by the ghoul hounds is the lastsurvivor of an adventuring band that was set upon by a

rogue necromancer. This foul wizard (who only entersinto this adventure if the GM so desires) sent a pack ofghoul hounds and a pair of acid shamblers after thehalf-elf and his party, and the hounds have since beentracking down the scattered survivors.

As mentioned, the necromancer plays no explicitpart in the rest of this adventure. To aid the GM inintegrating such an enemy, however, additionalnotes have been provided when his or her suddenappearance or influence would not interrupt the

overall flow of the story. The necromancers favoritetactic is to animate any creatures the party has killed

and send them against the PCs once more. (Simplyapply the zombie or skeleton template to any suchcreatures, as needed.)

Be judicious with this extra threat, of course; the partymight be overwhelmed by effectively having to fightevery creature they encounter twice from this pointforward. Remember also that the necromancer has nodirect connection to the Chasm of Flies or to the spider-eye goblin tribe inhabiting it, and he or she would be justas unwelcome there as the player characters themselves.

NECROMANCER CR 5XP1,600

Female or male human necromancer 6

CE Medium humanoid (human)

Init+1; SensesPerception +5

DEFENSE

AC12, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+1 deflection, +1 Dex)

hp35 (6d6+12)


OFFENSE

Spd30 ft.

Meleemwk dagger +4 (1d4/19-20)Rangeddart +4 (1d4)

Special Attackspower over undead 4/day (DC 14,command undead only)

Necromancer Spell-Like Abilities(CL 6th;concentration +10)

6/daybolster(+2 bonus)

Necromancer Spells Prepared(CL 6th; concentration+10)

3rdgaseous form, lesser animate dead (x2),ray ofexhaustionN(DC 18)

2ndblindness/deafnessN

(DC 17), blur,detect thoughts(DC 15), silent charm person(DC 14)

1stcause fearN(DC 16), color spray (DC 14), ray ofenfeeblement (DC 16), sleep (DC 14)

0 (at will)detect magic, light,resistance, touch offatigue(DC 15)

Nnecromancy (undead) school, bonus spell;Opposition Schools:conjuration, evocation

STATISTICS



FeatsCommand UndeadB, Greater Spell Focus(necromancy)B, Scribe ScrollB, Silent Spell, Spell Focus

(necromancy)B, Still Spell, Weapon Focus (ray)SkillsKnowledge (arcana, history, religion) +13,Intimidate +7, Linguistics +8, Perception +5, Spellcraft+12, Stealth +7

LanguagesAbyssal, Common, Goblin, Infernal, Zathisk

Combat Gear5 darts, potion of cure light wounds,scroll of false life, 3 onyx gems (100 gp each); OtherGearmwk dagger, ring of protection +1, spellcomponent pouch, scholars outfit (black robes)

Spellbook All prepared, plus 0all cantrips exceptthose from evocation and transmutation schools;1stalarm, unseen servant, vanish; 2nddarkvision,invisibility; 3rdundead anatomy I

Read aloud:

The tiniest sound echoes off the walls of the ravine. Your

imagination, unsettled by the ever-present hints of necrosis

throughout the March, fills your head with all sorts of sinister

possibilities regarding the source of those sounds.

Suddenly, ahead of you, a battered and bleeding humanoid

form lurches through a gap between some shattered boulders and

scrambles toward your party. A noise somewhere between a call

for help and the raving of a lunatic bleats from its throat. As

it flails desperately up the sloped ravine wall in your direction,

you realize it is a man, but a man in dire straitstorn, bloody,



19/48

and staggering. Dry bones crunch and scatter across its path.

You realize with a start that the gravel littering the floor of the

ravine is actually pulverized bone and animal detritus.

As you watch, aghast, from perhaps a hundred feet away, roiling

blisters fester, burst, and reform on the poor mans flesh. The

noises he makes are little more than wet, choking gasps, and yourealize that part of his face has melted away, as if eaten by acid,

leaving a mask of blood and raw tissue.

Then, seemingly from nowhere, two great hounds leap from the

rocks to either side and smash the man to the ground, quickly

ripping whats left of him in pieces with violent jerks of their

thick necks. Fortunately, you have the impression that there was

no kinder fate your party could have offered him at this point.

The hounds look balefully up at you as they crouch over their prey,

bits of gore spilling from their diseased jowls. You feel yourself being

sized up as they coldly, mechanically chew their kill. Now, given a

moment to reflect, you can see the glint of bone jutting from obviously

undead flesh. They raise their heads and howl in discordant unison.

Combat

The ghoul hounds soon leap to the attack if the PCs do

not attack them first. They fight until destroyed.

Encounter Level 3 (800 XP)

Ghoul hounds (2): hp 14, 13

Treasure:At the GMs discretion, the body of the slain man,

actually a half-elf warrior, can possess any sort of minor item

the party may need; if one or more PCs have been infected by

ghoul fever, consider having them find a potion of cure disease

or two on the body.

Any attempt to identify the unfortunate man is simply

unsuccessful: the damage is too severe. The ragged state of

any equipment on him that wasnt mangled by the hounds

suggests he lost his gear in a panicked flight and has been

fleeing through the Devils March for at least a day or two.

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The Chasm of Flies is a ragged slash cut into a torn and

rocky area of outthrust tors and low hills. During Spiragos

attack on Vangal, the Ambusher miscalculated an opportunity

for a killing stroke, and struck violently at Vangal with one

of its eight limbs. The force of the blow was such that, when

Vangal dodged aside, the dagger smashed into the earth and

Spiragos arm sank in up to its elbow.

As Spiragos struggled against the earths grip, Vangal slashed

through its forearm and rained several punishing blows down

upon the crippled lesser titan. The tide of the battle was thus

turned in the favor of the Ravager, and the Ambusher was

driven across the March. Spiragos hand was thus left buried

deep in the hole it had carved through the living rock, and

Vangal, caring nothing for the spoils of war, moved swiftly

on to further acts of carnage.

As the flesh of the titan grew foul and turned to rot, flies

feasting upon it gave rise to colonies, breeding millions of

their maggots in the cool, dark chasm. Over the next several

decades, though no other area of the March offered sufficient

nourishment to sustain even a flys life, the putrid titan flesh

warped and perverted the insects into ravenous, hawk-sized

creatures.

Even the flesh of the titanic arm could offer only a limited

supply of sustenance, however. In time, the buzzing denizens

of the chasm found themselves suddenly without a viable food

source. Within a relatively brief period of time, something

akin to natural order began to reassert itself. Although no

common arachnid would have survived one hour against the

beastly flies, grown fat on titanic essence, a breed of giant

spiders moved in and the flies gradually lost ground to the

superior predators. In nearly as few decades as it had taken

to clean away the flesh of Spriagos, the flies themselves were

devoured or driven off.

Other than occasional wanderers or headstrong adventurers

seeking artifacts of the Divine War, no sentient living creature

laid eyes upon the bottom of the Chasm of Flies for nearly

a full century after the fall of Spiragos. So it remained until

a small group of spider-eye goblins descended from a tribe

loyal to Spiragos found the chasm; they tamed, or, at least

overpowered the giant arachnids that dwelt there. These

goblins made their new home in the chasm and now use it as

a base for their raids into the more civilized lands to the south.

Several generations of the goblins have now occupied the

chasm by the time the party arrives, each generation fortifying

the entrance to their stronghold in Spiragoss gauntlet with

rubble and traps.

Read to the players this description of the upper area:

As you work your way around a great tor of broken boulders and

slabs of rock, you see before you an enormous rift torn in the earth.

Surely this is the so-called Chasm of Flies. Two tattered rope bridges

sag across the gaping expanse, while a third hangs from one end

into the chasm below. As you approach the ledge, an acrid updraft

wafts skyward from the depths. Peering down into it, you can see

ragged stone walls that drop away into the shadows below. You

can just make out tattered swaths of massive spider webs hanging

from the walls or stretching across the chasm in layers further down.

At this point, or as the PCs examine the chasm, each may

make a Perception check: Read all applicable results to the

player of the character with the highest result.

the chasm of i


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DC 9:From what you can see in the first 30 or 40 feet, the

rock walls look very rough and pitted, with crevices, holes, and

chimneys that might aid in climbing. Of course, those holes

could also hide enemies or dangerous creatures of various sizes.

DC 13:A rank odor arises from the chasm, but there isalso a hint of cooking fires wafting up from below. One of

the intact rope bridges is composed, at least in part, of thick

strands of spider silk; it looks like you can traverse the thing

without fear of getting stuck.

DC 17:Some of the swaths of webbing below seem to move

against the more general air currents; something other than the

wind appears to be moving them. Just poking through the webs,

perhaps 15 or 20 feet below, you see what may be the tops of

large stone columns or perhaps massive stalagmites jutting up

from deeper in the chasm. You glimpse a brief whiff of smoke

wafting upward around one of them, but it quickly dissipates.

DC 21:But for the wind, the place is dead silent. For a

moment, though, you are certain you heard a skittering

sound, as if some great clawed or spined legs were scrabbling

against stone.

Vertical Adventuring

The Chasm is an unusual place to explore in that its

primarily a vertical space. This situation provides unique

challenges to the PCs, as detailed below, but also for the GM

and players as all parties try to orient themselves on the map.

Weve provided both a standard, top-down map of several

cross-sections of the Chasm and also side view maps to help

place the characters and their challenges.

Both players and GM alike are advised to review theAcrobatics and Climb skills and all rules for climbing,

balancing, hanging, swinging, and so on, and also the rules

for fighting while undertaking these actions.

Be aware that falling down the Chasm is actually much

less hazardous than it might sound, since anyone falling will

almost certainly be caught, eventually, by spider web sheeting.

However, not also that characters caught in this manner are

likely to alert the Chasm inhabitants, or at least the spiders

who built the webs.

What Did That Thing Say?

The spider-eye goblins speak a debased dialect of Goblin,

blended with a smattering of Titanspeech and some crude

words from the Common (Ledean) tongue. Their speech is

also punctuated with odd clicks and hisses. In combat, they

have evolved a clicking and chittering battle language, but

also enjoy taunting their opponents in their nasty version of

Common phrases and insults.

Interacting with the spider-eye goblins (whether fighting with

them, fleeing from them, watching them flee, or whatever else

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may occur) might allow the GM to divulge tactical information

to characters who understand the language. This also allows

for the possibility of expanding on the lore of the place if

any player characters wear markings of certain gods or call

upon those deities for their blessings while within earshot

of an opponent.In particular, Chasm inhabitants hate Vangal outright, for it

was he who maimed and then eventually slew Spiragos. They

might also loathe Belsameth, who fatally wounded Spiragos

commanding titan, Kadum. Only advanced loremasters would

be able to discuss intelligently the titanic genealogy of the

spider-eye goblin, but the physiological similarity to Spiragos

and the fact that the titan effectively created their dwelling

is an obvious connection.

As noted in the appendix under the description of spider-

eye goblins, any PC who is trained in Knowledge (nature) can

make a DC 15 skill check to learn that spider-eye goblins aregenerally known to worship the goddess of vengeance, Sethris.

Or at least it has been that way since the end of the Divine

War. Closely tied to spiders and arachnid symbology as she

is, this makes sense.

Later on, however, the party will discover evidence to suggest

that this particular tribe worships Spiragos itself, and not

Sethris. Is it possible that these goblins actually sprang from

Spiragos himself, or were twisted into their current form by

him during the long centuries before the Titanswar? A lone

goblin tribe shifting from a living goddess to a long-dead

lesser titan might have some major religious ramifications.

Further, how likely is it that Sethris would respond to

invocations or repentant appeals from her prodigal sons and

daughters? Would the party benefit from invoking that cruel

goddess herself while interacting with the goblins below? These

are questions mainly for the party to debate amongst itself, if

indeed they are keen enough to pick up on the information

as it becomes relevant.

The decision to draw upon and develop the theological

considerations of the goblin tribe in a mechanical way is, as

always, up to the individual GM.

Optional Encounter:Spider-Eye Goblin Scout

If the GM desires, as the party first surveys the Chasm, they

can be confronted by a spider-eye goblin warrior mounted

on a giant spider. The warrior is heading out to scout the

surrounding countryside.

As noted further into this chapter, goblins and spiders can

also attack at virtually any point during the PCs descent.

SPIDEREYE GOBLIN WARRIOR CR 1

XP400

NE Small monstrous humanoid (goblinoid)

Male or female spider-eye goblin warrior 1Init+2; Sensesall-around vision, darkvision 60 ft.;Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +1size)

hp13 (2d10+2)


Defensive Abilitiesall-around vision

OFFENSE

Spd30 ft., climb 20 ft.

Melee4 claws +5 (1d3+1), bite +5 (1d3+1 plus poison)

Rangedjavelin +5 (1d4+1)STATISTICS



FeatsWeapon Finesse

SkillsClimb +13, Perception +8, Ride +8, Stealth +12;Racial Modifiers+4 Perception, +2 Ride, +2 Stealth

LanguagesGoblin

Gear4 javelins

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (Ex)Biteinjury; saveFort DC 12; frequency1/round for 4 rounds; effect1d2 Dex; cure1 save.

Combat

The spider-eye goblin and its steed use the terrain to great

advantage, attacking from above and then climbing up beyond

reach whenever possible.

If it is clearly outclassed or should its mount be killed, the

warrior attempts to flee and hide until it can creep back down

to its tribe below and warn them. Strangely, it does not call

out to alert its comrades immediately upon engaging or being

engaged by the players, nor will it make any more noise than

absolutely necessary when fleeing. Creatures here seem to

have elevated stealth and ambush attacks from mere tactics

and strategy to almost reverent virtues.

Encounter Level 3 (XP 800)

Spider-eye goblin warrior (1): hp 12

Giant wolf spider (1): hp 17

the chasm of i


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Spiragoss RemainsIt is up to the GM when to reveal the fact that the columnsare Spiragoss bones, and ultimately that the spider-eyegoblin fastness is actually inside the titans sunken gauntlet.

The descriptions here are worded so that the mystery ofjust what these structures are can be maintained until thevery end of the adventure, if desired. At this point, thebones are literally all thats left of Spiragos, and any titanblood or marrow was devoured by flies, carved awayby goblins, or simply dried up long ago.

If the GM wishes, however, it could be that small pocketsof ichor still exist somewhere deep inside the Chasm. Thismight add a bit of flavor when setting the scene for aparticular encounter, or it could offer devious players achance to acquire valuable and dangerous titans blood(see Relics & Rituals,page 208). The hazards that doingso would bring down upon their heads is, of course, left

to the GM to decide.

now form narrow passageways that the spider-eye goblins use

to travel up and down.

As the PCs approach the iron walls of Spiragoss gauntlet,

roughly 100 feet down into the Chasm, unless the goblins

below have been alerted to the intruders presence, the thin

smoke of cooking fires wafting up from below should become

readily apparent.

Climbing Down

The difficulty for standard Climb checks in the Upper

Chasm begins at DC 10 for the first 50 feet, then increases to

DC 15 for the second 50 feet, as the holes and rough patches

in the walls grow further apart.

Characters climbing down using a rope tied off above can

do so with a DC 5 check.

The GM should adjudicate the relative difficulty of any

other methods of descent.

As the players begin their descent, however they go about

it, read this:

The light from above, diffused by layers of thick webbing, dimly

reveals two immense columns that angle down deeper into the

shadows of the Chasm. You think perhaps they might be petrified

tree trunks, although they are truly massive: about 25 feet in cross-

section! Webs are strung everywhere, running from these massive

columns across to the walls of the Chasm.

Here and there you spot swollen, bulbous masses of silk dotting the

great tangled webs. The exposed, rusted corner of a battleaxe poking

GIANT WOLF SPIDER CR 1

XP400

N Medium vermin

Init+3; Sensesdarkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.;Perception +4

DEFENSE


hp16 (3d8+3)


Immunevermin traits

OFFENSE


Meleebite +2 (1d6 plus poison)

STATISTICS

Str11, Dex17, Con12, Int, Wis10, Cha2


SkillsAcrobatics +11 (+19 jumping), Climb +16,Perception +4, Stealth +7 (+11 when stationary); RacialModifiers+8 Acrobatics (+16 jumping), +16 Climb, +4Perception, +4 Stealth (+8 when stationary)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (Ex)Biteinjury; saveFort DC 14; frequency1/round for 4 rounds; effect1d2 Str; cure1 save.

The Upper Chasm

Except during the day time in the very upper reachesthe

first 30 feet or sothe Chasm is dimly lit at all times;

the billowing sheets of webbing stretch across, blocking the

sunlight from above. In any case, given the high walls of the

chasm, sunlight shines down directly only at noon. During

any time of day other than for a few hours around high noon,

treat the entire shaft as being dimly lit.

The walls are less rough and cracked as one descends than

they were right near the chasms upper edge, yet the rock

walls in this section (i.e., before reaching the upper edge of

Spiragoss gauntlet) contain more large holes and crevices

at random. Climbing should thus become suitably harderwithout ropes and other climbing gear. Running at an angle

down deeper into the Chasm are two massive stone columns

roughly 25 feet thick.

While the players will not realize it unless they have sufficient

knowledge or insight to do so, these columns are actually

the severed forearm bones of Spiragos. The bones, which

continue down through the wrist, hand, and fingers below,

were hollowed out after the Chasm flies had been purged or

driven out and the giant spiders had been mastered. They

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out from one such bundle bears testament to the remains of ill-fated

wanderers who came before you. Well outside your reach and long

decayed, their names and deeds are forever lost to history. You consider

a silent prayer that the webs choking this place hold less tightly to lost

souls than to bodies. It then occurs to you that the departed could

not have progressed much farther than you already have.

Following one web with your eyes, you notice that the nature of

the walls has changed as well. They are smoother and probably

harder to climb, with large holes and crevices appearing randomly.

The surface of the columns looks to be pitted and may be easier

to traverse.

The Columns

As the PCs descend, if they are within 20 feet of one of the

massive columns, they may each make a DC 15 Perception

check to notice one or more openings in the columns that looklarge enough for a Small creature to fit through. These openings

have been carved out of Spiragoss stony bones, allowing the

goblins to enter and exit them, using the bone shafts as tunnels

to climb unnoticed up and down the chasm.

Any time the GM decides goblins are moving up or down

the bones when the PCs are within 20 feet of such an opening,

allow each character a DC 20 Perception check to notice

movement from within one of the holes.

The holes in the walls are used by chasm spiders as nests.

The spiders wont attack unless their nests are invaded or a PC

spends at least 2 full rounds on the same stretch of webbing

outside a nest. Depending on how frequently these holes

are encountered, and how hungry or aggressive the spiders

are, the players may find themselves unable to stop and rest.

Note too that if the players are unable to rest for a significant

period of time, the rigors of the descent may eventually make

them exhausted or fatigued (see Pathfinder Roleplaying Game

Core Rulebook, Conditions).

If at any point a PC enters one of the columns, read this:

The surface of these stone columns is rough and pitted. It seems

likely that they would provide easy hand and footholds naturally,

but the insides consist of tunnels bored through a petrified poroussubstance. What you once thought might be the mineralized forms

of ancient tree trunks now appears to be a material not unlike

sea coral. Tightly woven webs have been draped along some of

the passageways, but you can divine no readily apparent purpose

for them.

Within each of the columns lurks a grim puppeteer spider

that serves as a sort of guard dog for the spider-eye goblins;

while not fully tamed or trained by the goblins, they do dwell

GRIM PUPPETEER CR 3

XP800

N Medium magical beast

Init+3; Sensesdarkvision 60 ft., low-light vision,tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE


hp26 (4d10+4)


OFFENSE


Meleebite +6 (1d6+2 plus poison)

Special Attacksgrim puppetry, web (+7 ranged, DC15, hp 8)

STATISTICS

Str15, Dex17, Con12, Int6, Wis15, Cha11BaseAtk+4; CMB+6; CMD19 (31 vs. trip)

FeatsAbility Focus (web), Skill Focus (Bluff)

SkillsBluff +9, Climb +18, Perception +10, Stealth +11(+15 in webs); Racial Modifiers+4 Bluff, +16 Climb, +4Perception, +4 Stealth (+8 in webs)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Grim Puppetry (Ex)The grim puppeteer uses its webstrands to manipulate the bodies of its slain victims asif they were marionettes; in addition, the puppeteer iscapable of mimicking non-verbal human and animalsounds to complete the illusion. A character viewing thispuppetry may make a Sense Motive check opposed to

the grim puppeteers Bluff check to determine that thereis something unnatural about the puppets movement orsounds.

Grim puppeteers use corpses in cunning and appropriateways: a female humanoids corpse may be used to lure ayoung male hunter of the same species, or a jungle catsfavorite prey animal may be dangled to get the felinewithin range of the puppeteers thrown web. The grimpuppeteer knows instinctively how to best use its puppetto fool a passerby, so an animal corpse will appear lame,an easy target for a hunter or predator; or a humanoidbody might make moan as if in pain and make vaguegestures, or perhaps it might appear to hide furtivelybehind the puppeteers tree.

Poison (Ex)Biteinjury; saveFort DC 15; frequency1/round for 5 rounds; effect1d3 Str; cure2 saves. The saveDC is Constitution-based; the grim puppeteer receives a+2 racial bonus to this DC.

in harmony here. The grim puppeteers use the corpse or the

skeleton of a fallen adventurer as a puppet to attempt to fool

the PCs into believing there is a living member of the divine

races cringing in fear just around the corner. Once the players

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Restless DeadIf the rogue necromancer responsible for the ghoul houndsback at the ravine has become a factor in this campaign,and if he or she is still alive, the GM may consider

reanimating some of the dead goblin warriors or giantspiders to harass or simply unsettle the party. This is onlyrecommended for higher-level PCs, and even then onlyif they are finding the challenges already laid out to besomewhat lacking.

Aside from goblins, skeletal warriors might suddenlycut themselves free from the webs, drop all around theparty, and then rise to the attack with ancient, rustedweaponsor they might simply remain stuck in theirwrappings, writhing and rattling, bemoaning their fatesand grasping futilely in the direction of a random PC.

For added suspense, perhaps a member of the party issuddenly clutched by a bound, hanging skeleton, whobeseeches the character for help in a faint, reedy whisperthat attracts the attention of nearby chasm spiders, orworse. (Assume that only one of the skeletons handsis free and thus grant the PC a +5 bonus to escape thegrapple.) The skeleton itself is unlikely to inflict any actualdamage, as it remains encumbered by the webbing.

There is no particular benefit in attempting to free theremains of fallen adventurers from the webs. In alllikelihood, at worst, they would only tumble down, getup, and attack the party as mentioned above. Everythingthat resides in the Chasm of Flies for an extended periodof time cannot help but be influenced by the essence of theAmbusher. Any valuables would have been scavenged

by the goblins long ago.Again, all of this is entirely optional, as the roguenecromancer need not necessarily appear in theadventure at all.

have been fooled, the grim puppeteer focuses all its efforts

against whichever PC first attempts to assist the puppet.

If the rogue necromancer has been persecuting the party

(see Restless Dead above), characters might believe the

puppeteers corpses to be animated undead. If so, run with it

and let them find out the hard way what is really going on here.Grim puppeteers (1 per column): hp 26 each

Encounter #1:Agitated Chasm Spiders

Once the PCs are about half-way through the upper chasm

and into the webbing layersroughly 50 to 60 feet down

from the surfacethey must each make a DC 10 Stealth check

CHASM SPIDER CR 1/2

XP200

N Small vermin


DEFENSE

AC14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 size)

hp11 (2d8+2)


Immunevermin traits

OFFENSE



Special Attacksweb (+5 ranged, DC 12, hp 2)

STATISTICS



SkillsClimb +16, Perception +4 (+8 in webs), Stealth+10 (+14 in webs); Racial Modifiers+16 Climb, +4Perception, +4 Stealth (+8 in webs)

SPECIAL ABILITIES


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in addition to any Climb checks (as appropriate) to move

through the webs carefully. If a character fails this check, but

not by 5 or more, then the spiders in the area are alerted to

the PCs presence, but they do not yet move to attack.

If any character fails by 5 or more, the spiders scuttle forth

to attack.

Combat

Chasm spiders swarm toward the least stealthy PC(s), using

their climb speed to outmaneuver climbing or balancing PCs

and to attack from multiple directions.

Unlike the larger mounted giant wolf spiders, these creatures

do not seem terribly involved in the lives of the spider-eye goblins.

While they serve as a convenient security system, they are naturally

reclusive, silent, and either wild or feral. Thus, there is no fear

of a desperate chasm spider running away to alert the goblins.

They are only interested in eating and defending their nests.

Encounter Level 3 (XP 1,000)

Chasm spiders (5): hp 16, 13, 11, 7, 5

Encounter #2:Spider-Eye Goblin Defense

The agitation of the chasm spiders never goes entirely

unnoticed by the spider-eye goblins below on the

guard post level (see The Fastness in the next

section).

Once the characters reach this pointjust

above the top edge of the iron gauntlet, roughly

80 or 90 feet into the chasmthe disturbance

prompts several spider-eye goblin

defenders led by a mounted goblin

raidmaster to circle upward and

attack the PCs.

Encounter Level 5 (1,800

XP)

Raidmaster (1): hp 19

Spider-eye goblins (4): hp 10,6, 6, 4

Giant wolf spider (1): hp 21

The Iron Walls

When the PCs have

descended just a little

over 100 feet into the chasm,

the material of the walls changes very

suddenly from natural stone to a dark grey, barely glinting metallic

surface. It is almost entirely devoid of pock marks or blemishes and

as hard as iron.

Climbing here, due to the sheer nature of the walls, is

much more difficult. The base Climb DC is 20, although

characters using ropes or climbing along the sticky webs willhave an easier time, with a Climb DC 5 (although the latter

may find themselves moving extremely slowly as they get stuck

repeatedly and have to pull themselves free).

Because the walls here are of iron, it is almost impossible

to benefit from using climbing pitons, and thus ropes must

be attached above the top edge of Spiragoss gauntlet.

The Fastness

Having now descended to roughly 100 feet, well beyond where

the mouth of the Chasm is obscured by webbing above, the

PCs are now surrounded by almost complete darkness. Light isvisible above, but it makes no difference here, where it is almost

impossible for a human to see her own hand in front of her face.

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RAIDMASTER CR 2

XP600


Male spider-eye goblin ranger 2Init+2; Sensesall-around vision, darkvision 60 ft.;Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +2natural, +1 size)

hp19 (3d10+3)



OFFENSE



Rangedjavelin +6 (1d4+1)Special Attacksfavored enemy +2 (human)

STATISTICS



FeatsMounted CombatB, Weapon Finesse, WeaponFocus (claw)

SkillsAcrobatics +7, Climb +13, Perception +9, Ride +9,Stealth +12, Survival +5 (+6 tracking); Racial Modifiers+4 Perception, +2 Ride, +2 Stealth

LanguagesGoblin

SQtrack +1, wild empathy +1 (vermin, not animals)

Gearleather armor, 2 javelinsSPECIAL ABILITIES


SPIDEREYE GOBLIN CR 1/2

XP200


Init+2; Sensesall-around vision, darkvision 60 ft.;Perception +8

DEFENSE


hp5 (1d10)



OFFENSE


Melee4 claws +4 (1d3), bite +4 (1d3 plus poison)

Rangeddart +4 (1d3)

STATISTICSStr11, Dex14, Con10, Int8, Wis11, Cha9


FeatsWeapon Finesse

SkillsAcrobatics +3, Climb +8, Perception +8, Ride +4,Stealth +8, Survival +4; Racial Modifiers+4 Perception,+2 Ride, +2 Stealth

LanguagesGoblin

Gear4 darts

SPECIAL ABILITIES


Once the party passes the metal rim lining the stone wall

above, the diameter of the place also seems a little reduced,

being somewhat wider open above. The strange stony columns

still descend through this entire area; here, they have been

used by the spider-eye goblins as struts for a series of crude

wooden structures built out over the edge of the metal rim

running in a perfect line around the chasm.Extending across the area and thus connecting the small

wooden buildings are makeshift platforms and ramparts that

close off the lowest reaches. As elsewhere, spider silk strands and

spider webbing has been used to glue the supports and planks

to the metal walls and seal the gaps in the woodwork. Thus, only

the interior of the columns allows access to the deeper areas.

This is the entrance to the spider-eye goblins fastness.

Because of the multiple wooden structures, support ropes,

webs, and web sheeting, the PCs are unable to see the extent of

the metal funnel extending for another 130 feet or so below.

When the PCs reach the wooden platforms, read the following:

The chasm grows narrower as you descend. Through the thick sheets

of webbing, you note the glint of metal along the tightening walls;

a metallic tang fills your nostrils, and every sound seems to echo

dully from below, as if from the inside of a church bell.

Just below, a network of roughly hewn logs and scavenged bits of

wood radiates out from the stone columns, forming what can only bedescribed as a tremendous platform filling the chasm belowalthough

calling it a platform is perhaps generous. The wood is lashed together

crudely with ropes spun from spider silk, and here and there pieces

of wagons and other worked wood, small boulders, rope ladders, and

sheets of spider webbing have been added in no particularly organized

fashion, block the view and hindering access to the areas below.

Once youve read the description above, allow each PC to make

a DC 15 Perception check to notice movement on the lattice of

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logs below. If any character gets a 20 or higher on this check, he

or she also notices a tiny, rough wooden structure connected to

the platform against the nearest chasm wall; inside, the character

notices movement of some small creature, probably a goblin.

Guard PostsThere are actually eight such buildings around the

circumference of the chasm, located about every 60 feet along

the outer edge of the gauntlets iron rim. These are the goblins

upper guard posts. Because of the webs strewn throughout

the area, it is virtually impossible to see more than one guard

post at a time visibility here, even with a bright light source, is

effectively about 30 feet, maximum. Anything beyond 15 feet

has concealment.

Each guard post contains 1d3-1 spider-eye goblins, with a

total of 9 goblins in all. (If the PCs encounter and defeat all

nine of them, then the rest of the guard posts are empty.)

The rest of the tribe dwells below, in the lower caverns.

Encounter Level (Varies) (1800 XP total)

Spider-eye goblins (9 total): hp 5 each

GIANT WOLF SPIDER CR 1

XP400

N Medium vermin


DEFENSE


hp16 (3d8+3)


Immunevermin traits

OFFENSE



STATISTICS


BaseAtk+2; CMB+2; CMD15 (27 vs. trip)SkillsAcrobatics +11 (+19 jumping), Climb +16,Perception +4, Stealth +7 (+11 when stationary); Racial

Modifiers+8 Acrobatics (+16 jumping), +16 Climb,+4 Perception, +4 Stealth (+8 when stationary)

SPECIAL ABILITIES


Getting Down

There are two ways the PCs can get down past this level,assuming they either sneak past or slay the goblin guards here.

Trapdoors:A character who searches the platform (DC 20

Perception) notices that some of the patches of webbing conceal

hidden trapdoors. These doors are held shut by masses of

webbing, and each requires a DC 23 Strength check to wrench

open, or 15 points of damage (hardness 5) to smash through.

Columns: As noted previously, the chasms two massive

columns have been hollowed out to create a series of vertical

tunnels for the spider-eye goblins. Characters of Medium

size may find these tunnels uncomfortably tight, but they are

able to squeeze through. Larger characters cannot fit into thecolumn tunnels.

Note that characters who enter the tunnels here will have

bypassed the grim puppeteer guardians above, but those spiders

are quite cunning, and if they sense a disturbance in the columns

below, they may move downward to investigate. Failing that,

they may be lying in wait for the PCs to come back up through

the columns.

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XP200



DEFENSE


hp5 (1d10)



OFFENSESpd30 ft., climb 20 ft.


Rangeddart +4 (1d3)

STATISTICS



FeatsWeapon Finesse

SkillsAcrobatics +3, Climb +8, Perception +8, Ride +4,Stealth +8, Survival +4; Racial Modifiers+4 Perception,+2 Ride, +2 Stealth

LanguagesGoblin

Gear4 darts

SPECIAL ABILITIES


the chasm of i


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If the player characters make enough of a commotion as they

approach or pass through the guard post level, it is entirely

possible that the goblin guards will have sent a runner below

to warn the tribethat is the guards role, after all.

This is the main living area of the goblin tribe: a huge,

metal-walled space dominated by an immense pile of boulders

honeycombed with narrow passages. If the players have not

already guessed it, the upper levels of the Chasm were largely

unpatrolled and left to the wild chasm spiders. The PCs

have now pushed through what amounted to a passive early

warning system and are now in a heavily engineered maze,the result of long term, deliberate engineering by titanspawn

who clearly do not wish to receive guests and for whom the

art of ambushing is not only a survival skill but a religious

imperative.

Every goblin and spider from this point on will be actively

and intelligently working to distract, disorient, and dispatch

the party.

Assuming the PCs look down into this area from above

and have a light source bright enough, read the following:

Pausing briefly to look down, you see only darkness with occasionalreflected glints far below. By that evidence and the cavernous sound,

youd guess that the space below is vast, perhaps 100 feet or more

down. The only light is your own, although a dim radiance reflects

from the metallic walls themselves. If there are torches lit below,

you cannot see them.

Through drapes of spider webs, you can see that the walls are made

of the same iron as the walls of the checkpoint above. While the

subtle metallic tang you noticed earlier still permeates the air, the

rank odor of goblinoids combines with the dry, foul stench of their

pet spiders to overpower your nostrils.

You can see some knotted spider silk ropes nearby that dangle

down into the darkness below. As above, the entirety of the upper

chamber is filled with thick layers of webs. These pulse and shift

occasionally, suggesting the movement of the grotesque spiders

within them.

From below, you hear a mix of primitive chittering and Goblin-

tongue.

Amid the boulders below, many small, irregular sleeping

chambers have been fashioned between the fallen and partially

hewn stones, wherever space permits. The children and other

noncombatant members of the tribe hide within these crevices,

ready to clamber out through the roof passage and escape into

the chasm. Several giant wolf spiders are trained to aid in just

these sorts of evacuations, and those bearing precious young

goblins avoid combat unless attacked directly.

Goblin Defense

The combat-ready adults and warriors of the tribe harry

intruders with darts and javelins as they descend. The descentfrom the guard level to the tip of the boulder pile below is

75 feet in total.

In order to climb down to the top of the boulder mound

using the goblins knotted ropes, the PCs must make DC 5

Climb checks. While climbing, characters lose their Dexterity

bonus to AC (if any) and cannot use shields. If a character

takes damage while climbing, she must make a new DC 5

Climb check to avoid falling.

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RAIDMASTER CR 2

XP600


Male spider-eye goblin ranger 2Init+2; Sensesall-around vision, darkvision 60 ft.;Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +2natural, +1 size)

hp19 (3d10+3)



OFFENSE



Rangedjavelin +6 (1d4+1)Special Attacksfavored enemy +2 (human)

STATISTICS



FeatsMounted CombatB, Weapon Finesse, WeaponFocus (claw)

SkillsAcrobatics +7, Climb +13, Perception +9, Ride +9,Stealth +12, Survival +5 (+6 tracking); Racial Modifiers+4 Perception, +2 Ride, +2 Stealth

LanguagesGoblin

SQtrack +1, wild empathy +1 (vermin, not animals)

Gearleather armor, 2 javelinsSPECIAL ABILITIES


SPIDEREYE GOBLIN WARRIOR CR 1

XP400


Male or female spider-eye goblin warrior 1Init+2; Sensesall-around vision, darkvision 60 ft.;Perception +8

DEFENSE


hp13 (2d10+2)



OFFENSE



Rangedjavelin +5 (1d4+1)STATISTICS



FeatsWeapon Finesse

SkillsClimb +13, Perception +8, Ride +8, Stealth +12;Racial Modifiers+4 Perception, +2 Ride, +2 Stealth

LanguagesGoblin

Gear4 javelins

SPECIAL ABILITIES


Note that, while descending, the PCs do not enjoy the same

protection from falling damage here that was afforded them

by the copious amount of webbing in the Upper Chasm.

Here, the webbing hangs only in the uppermost sections of

the cavern, on the bottom side of the guard platform.

Aside from taking falling damage, a character who fallsassuming he or she survivesis also separated from the main

group by a considerable distance and thus vulnerable to being

swarmed by goblins.

The value of afeather fallspell here cannot be overstated,

and a good GM might even suggest to the players that taking

the time to prepare for the descent is a wise choice. But there

is danger in landing safely, yet alone, among a dozen or so

goblins as well.

Encounter Level 5 (XP 2,200)

Raidmaster (1): hp 15

Spider-eye goblin warrior (1): hp 14

Spider-eye goblins (6): hp 8, 8, 8, 6, 4, 4

Keep careful track of what goblins survive here, for they

will assault the PCs again soon.

Once the PCs make it all the way down to the floor of the

chamber, the remaining goblins retreat to the tunnels, hopingto draw the PCs in after them.

Great Goblin Mound

The great mound in which the majority of the tribe dwells

takes up almost the entirety of the lower floor of the cavern,

rising nearly 50 feet from the floor at its highest point. It is

made up not only of massive boulders, but other smaller rocks

from the chasm and pieces of debris and detritus the spider-

the iron caver


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XP200



DEFENSE

AC15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)

hp5 (1d10)



OFFENSE



Rangeddart +4

Date post:	11-Feb-2018
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